Ballast-cleaning machine



Feb. 10, 1931. l J. DoBBlNs E1' ALl 1,792,148

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1928 10 Sheets-Sheet l so N s u) N o E* la a *b x w l N a s* Hx x @i El g INVENToR A TTORNE Y.

Feb. l0, 1931. J. L. noBBlNs l-:TAL

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVNToR Filed Aug. 25, 1928 v A TTORNE Y.

Feb. l0, .1931. J. DBBINS E'r AL 1,792,148

I I BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2s, 192s 10 sheets-sheet 3 A TTORNEY.

Feb. 10,1931. .1.1.. DoBBlNs ET AL 1,792,148 l BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE FiledAug. 23, 1928 n 10 Sheets-Sheet 1V ATTORNEY.

Feb. 10, 1931.

I J. L. DoBBlNs ET AL 'QM- BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug.: 23, 1928 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Feb- 1931. J. l.. DoBBxNs ET AL 3,792,148

BALLAS T CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23. 1928 s 10 sheets-sheet 7 ATTORNEY,

Feb my 3933- J. L. DOBBINS ETAL 39792934@ BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Fild Aug. 23, 1928 l0 SheeiS-Shee'', 8

I N VEN TOILE A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 10, 19341. '.J. L .DQBBINS ETAL 1,792,148

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 10,1931. I 4.1.. DoB'BlNS-Efrzl. I 1,792,148

4 BALLAST `CLEANING MACHINE A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. lo, 1931 UNITED STATI-:s

lPATENT OFFICE JOHN L. Domains, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AND PASQUALE UnsINo, on

NEW YORK, N. Y.

BALLAST-CLEANING- MACHIN Application led August 23, 1928. Serial No. 301,648.

Our invention is a machine for removing and handling ballast of a railway track.

As is well known, the ballast of a' railway j track is ordinarily formed of broken rock or stone. This ballast is advantageous y inasmuch as 4it is solid and porous, when in good condition. However, this rock ballast, in time, deteriorates, which is due to the fact that its voids become filledI with fine material, such as cinders, coke, dirt or the like.

this occurs, the supporting power and facility for drainageof the ballast are both impaired. Many railroads are attempting to overcome the diiliculty by removing by hand the impaired ballast, between tie ties and within the line of the rails, and cleaning the same and returning it in place. This manual operation i.; time consuming and expensive.

' In accordance with our invention, the ballast between the ties, and within the line of the rails, which constitutes a very small percent of the total ballast of the track, is manually removedin accordance with the old .practice but is thrown upon the shoulder ofthe ballastoutwardly of the ties.

mechanism. and conveyor may be carried to a screening mechanism, within which the fine particles are removed and the cleaned rock or ballast returned to the track, either between the ties within theline of the rails or upon the shoulders of the ballast. y

While it is' preferred to have the digging mechanism operating in conjunction with the plow mechanism and the combined digging and conveying mechanism, yet the invention When Our machine embodies a plow mechanism which is designed to cut into the shoulder of` ballast into the furrow previously made by,v the plow mechanism. Oper'atlng in the rear The ballast taken up by the combined digging is notA necessarily restricted to these several operations. Some degree of success may be obtained byl using the plowing mechanism -in time and labor, and will render it possible to remove and clean a'much larger amount of ballast, per mile ofA track, than it is practical to remove by'hand, due to the excessive cost. In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, yand in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,l y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of'a machine embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View lof the forward section of the machine,

Figure4 is a side elevation of the same, Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of thenr-rows,

Figure 6 is a. horizontal section taken onI l Figure 8 is a horizontal section takenfo'n line 8 8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is an enlarged horizontal section taken'on line 9 9 of Figure 7,

' Figure 10 is an enlarged plan view of the intermediate section of the machine, following the front section shown in Figure 3,

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 12 is aside elevation of the rear secc tion of the machine, y

Figure 13 is a plan view of the same,

- Figure 14 is a longitudinal section taken on line 14-14 of Figure 10,

Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through an extension arm, taken on line 15 15 of Figure 11, Figure 16 is a similar view through a pivotal supporting arm, taken on line 16-16 of Figure 10,

h ,o e1- 21 of Figure 19,

` Figure 22 is a transverse section through the road-bed, villustrating the voperation performed'by the plow,

Figure23 is a similar view illustrating the operation of the digging mechanism,

'Figure 24 is a simllar view illustrating the operation of the digging means of the conve or, and,

igurev 25 is a plan view of the. digging I mechanism, illustrating its o eration.

In thedrawings, wherein or the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodi ment of. our invention, the numeral 20 desig-` nates a car body'as a whole, suitably mount ed upon flanged wheels21, totravel upon track rails 22. The car body 20 has a forward portion 23 which is widerv than the inter-V mediate portion 24, and alsoa' rear portion 25,'which is also wider than the intermediate portion 24.l

Arranged upon op osite sides ofthe forward portion 23 oft e car body, and near its forward end, are adjustable low mechanisms 26, which are identical, w ereby a d escription ofone will suice for both. Each plow mechanism, Fi res 4, 5, 6, 19, 21 and 22, embodies a vertica ly adjustable support, preferably in the form of a plate, or casting 27, see particularly Figures 5 and 6. Rigidly attached to the inner side of the support 2 are slides 28, shown for the purpose of illustration in the form of H-beams. -If desired, any other suitable form of slides maybe c lnployed,`and they may be cast integral with the support 27 These slides operate within vertical guides 29, bolted or otherwise rigldly attached to vertical plates 30, carried by the forward portion 23 of the car body, at the.' edges the'reof,'as' shown.` The plates may berigidly attached to the ear body by any suitable means and may be braced at 31, Figure `5.

Means are provided to raise and lower the support 27, comprising a vertical rack-bar 32, which is rigidly attached to the support 27, throughl the medium of an angle iron 33 or the like, rigidly attached to the support 27, by any suitab e is preferably arranged. nea'r or at the center of gravity ofthe 4'plow device. The rack-bar to 32 1s engaged by av pinion 34, rigidly mounted u}l) o'n a transverse shaft 35 having a worm W.

eel 36. The shaft 35 isournaled in suit# able stationar lbearinlgs 3 carried by the hewn. he worm wheel 36 is car boedy as s 3 engag by a worm 3 8', carried by a' vertical.

means. The vertical rack-bar 32 v ige-2,148 i shaft 39, equipped at its top with a hand wheel 40, whereby it may be manuall turned,

although it may bepower driven, if desired.

The support 27 carries at its lower end a x diggii or cuttino' im lement, including a tapere or pointed bla?! Figure 19, having a vertical inner face 42 and a longitudinally inclined outer face 43, ex-

e or plow share 41,

tending outwardlyv toward its end. The

blade 41 is preferably formed integral with a shank-plate 44, ada ted to`be arranged upon the outer face o the support 27. T e numeral 45 designates a mold board, which is adapted to'engageA with material cut or loosened by the blade or low share 41, and to throw the same laterally and outwardly. This mold board embodies an attaching plate 46, adapted to be disposed outwardly of the shank-plate 44 and in contact therewith, these parts being attached to the support 27 by bolts 47, or the like. lIt is desirable that these parts be detachable, in order that the 'cutter or plow share 41 ma be removed in come 1n`ured.

the event that it should The cutting or plowing implement em odying the elements above described, are so ositioned that it is arranged outwardly o the ends of the ties in the track, whereby it will n ot engage therewith.

Arranged upon opposite sides of the frward section 23 of the car body are ballast diggers, designed as a whole by the numeral 48. These diggers are identical and a detailed description of one will suiiice' for both,

attention .beingcalled more particularly to- Figuresl, 2, 3, 4. 7, 8 and 9. Each digger embodies a vertically adjustable support, preferably inthe form of plates or castings 49, having slides 50 rigidly secured thereto.

These slides are shown for the purpose of illustration-asin the form of H-beams, operating within vertical stationary guides 51,

"which are rigidly attached to vertical plates 52, bolted or otherwise rigidly attached so the edgJ of the car body section 23.

eans are provided to raise and lower the support 49, including a vertical rack bar 53,

rigidly attached to the support, throughthe medium of an angle iron 54'o`r the like. This rack barv isengaged by apinion 55, rigidl mounted upon a transverse shaft 56, jour-4 naled in stationary bearings 57 suitably mounted upon the car body, as.. shown. The shaft 56 isturned by a worm wheel 58, en-

gaging a worm 59, carried by a vertical shaft 60, equipped at its top with a hand wheel 61. It is thus seen that the support 49 may be raised and lowered by the manual turning of the hand wheel 61, although the "shaft 60 may be power driven, if desired.

Rigidly mounted upon the upper and lower plate 49 are upper and lower 62', .63, 63', Figures 4 and 7.

bearings, 62,

Pivoted within the bearings 62 and 63 is anidler shaft 64, which is vertically arranged,

and held against longitudinal movement in either direction :by collars 65 and 66. Rotat- 'ably mounted within the forward bearingsl 62 and 63 is a vertical drive shaft 67, held against longitudinal movelnent in opposite directions by collars 68, rigidly secured thereto. The numeral 69 designates a crank or link, see Figures 4, 7 and 9, which is preferablyl integral with a'shank 70 of a coupling element, having a flange 71, for co-actio-n with a flange 72 of a shank 73 of a companion coupling element. The shank 73 is rigidly mounted upon the idler shaft 64, land the flanges 71 and 7 2 are rigidly detachably connected by bolts 74 or the like. 75 designates a coupling identical with the coupling just described and embodying coupling elementswhich are rigidly detachably connected. The coupling is rigidly7 mounted upon the lower end of the driving shaft 67 IFigure 7, and this relieves the plate. of

excessive friction, when in operation. The plate 80 is positioned below the cranks 69 and 76 and the crank 69 is pivoted to the plate 80, as shown.'at 81, and the crank 76 1s pivoted with the 'plate 80, as .shown at 82. It'might be stated at this point that when the shaft 67 is rotated, the shaft64 rocks back and'forth, and the links 69 and 7.6 im-- part a generally ellipticalmovement to the forward endof the digging element, causing :3 it to. travel forwardly and inwardly with relation to the'ties and thenvoutwa'rdly and rearwardly with relation to the same. When the digging element moves forwardly on its digging stroke, it approaches the work at an angular position, and there is no side thrust upon the shank of the diggingelement, due to the presence of ballast. Each shank 67 is power driven, and to accomplish this, we mount a bevel gear 83 upon the upper end thereof, and -this bevel gear is driven by a smaller bevel gear 84, driven by a motor 85, supported upon a bracket 86, suitably mounted upon the upper support 49.l

Arranged rearwardly of the diggers 48 are combined diggers and elevators, designated as a whole by the numeral 87, Figures 10 and 11.

These apparatus are identical, except that one is arranged in advance of the other, so that they may be shifted to the inner positions without the operating parts' The numeral' engaging. Each apparatus 87 embodies a frame work 88, upon which operates an endless conveyor 89, preferably of the bucket type. This conveyoris drivenj by a gearing 88'-, connected with a motor 89', mounted upon the frame 88. Rigidly secured to the forward or lower ends of the 'frame work 88 'are cutters or plow shares 90, which are adapted to deflect the material inwardly into the path of travel of the buckets. The plow shares 90 are adapted to be moved outwardly beyond the range of operationot the digger 48, and thereby engage with and direct the material, loosened up by the digger48 and lthe plow 26, and suitably direct the same to the bucketconveyor.

The frame work 88 of each combined digger and conveyor i-s inclined and extends downwardly toward its forward end, and is pivotally supported at a point near and slightly above its center, by means of a heavy shaft 91, Figures 10, 11 and 16, having a squareportion 92, arranged between channel irons 93, bolted thereto. The channel'irons 93 constitute a slide lor carriage, andthe in# vention is in no sense restricted to the precise arrangement shown and described, as this slide or carriage may be made inv any desired manner. Thechannel irons 93 extend transversely of the car body, and are movable longitudinally in a guide, which may be` formed by a pair of spaced transverse channel irons 94, rigidly mounted upon a raised frame work 95, secured to the car body.

Any suitable form of guide means may be employed, as is obvious. The channel irons 93 travel upon roller bearings 96 and their tops carry roller bearings 97, engaging with the guide means. channel irons 93 labove the shaft 91, is a rack bar 98, rigidl secured to the channel beams. Means to be described, are provided to move Arranged between the the rack bar 98 longitudinally ineither direci tion.

Extending transversely of the car body in advance of each shaft 9.1, is a slide or carriage 99, including channelv irons 100, slidable within guide means including stationary channel irons 101. Suitable roller bearing means may be provided for the slides 99. as

described in connection with the slides in.

cluding the channell irons'93. Arranged upon the outer end of each 'pair of channel irons 100 and rotatably mountedy thereon is a grooved pulley 102, about which is passed a cable 103, extending downwardly for connection with a bail 104, which is connected with the conveyor frame 88, as shown. The cables are connected with winding mechanism, indicated as a whole by thenumeral 105. Thesewinding mechanisms are driven by motors 106. Arranged between each pair of channel irons 100 `is a rack bar`107, rigidly secured thereto. Extending longitudinally inclu shafts 1.08, journaled in bearings 109. These shafts have pinionsllO ri 'dly secured thereto,e`ngagingfthe rear rac bars'98, and pinions 111, rigidly securedfthereto, engaging c theforward rack bars 107 Arran ed between the-shafts 108' is alpowler distri uting shaft 1 12, journaled in suitable bearings upon the frame 95.' This power distributing shaft has clutch heads 113 and 114, mounted to vrotate thereon, but incapable of partaking of longitudinal movement jupon the same. Arranged between the clutch heads 113 and 114 is a double acting clutch head 115, adapted to alternately engage the clutch heads 113 and 114 and when in such engagement, to lock them to the shaft 112 for rotation therewith. Rotatable with the clutchA head 113 isa pinion 116, engaging a pinion' 117 rigid Vuponl'the shaft 108,v to the right. A sprocketwheel 118 is mounted upon the shaft 112, and is rotatable with the clutch head 114, and is enga d b ail-sprocket chain,

119, engaging a sproc et w eel 120, rigid upoli the shaft-108 to the left. The shaft 112 is driven by a motor 121, connected therewith."

a bracket 124, Figures 10and 18, rigidlyattached to the car body and-arranged in an inclined position. The'bracket 124 receives a shank 125 of a carrier' 126. Suitably mounted upon the carrier 126 is a shoe 127,

' preferably formed of non-metallic material, ,such as oak. The carrier 126 maybe raised' or lowered in an inclined plane bv means of a shaft 128, 'having screw-threaded en age- -merit with the shank 125. The ends o this shaft 128 are smooth and are rotatable within the bracket 124. The contacting face 129 of the shoe 127 is curved and is substantially concentric'withthe axisof pivot shaft 91. A. co-acting brace element or bracket 130 is rigidly attached to the frame 88 of thecombined digger and conveyor'87, and is adapted to engage with the shoe `127, the 'contacting face 131 of the-:brace 130 having a curvature substantially correspondiiiig toA that of the curved face 129; The face 131 is concave and the face 129 is convex. When the combined dig r and conveyor 87 is projecting laterally oer a substantial distance, I contemplate employing a brace Iextension 1.30', which is attached to the brace 130 and this brace extensionwli`asi`imila.ilyY curved contact -faoe' to engage with the shoe 127. Theitension 130 'tire a means is only used when the mechanism 127 is at the extreme outer position, and-when the mechanism 87 is in t l e normal operating position, the extension 130- is removed, and brace 130 then engages the shoe 127. The extreme out- ',er adjustment ofthe mechanism 87 is illustrated on the. left handside of Figure 10,

while the normal 'or inner position of thel 'other mechanism 87 is illustrated upon the right hand sideof Figure 10. The brace extension 130 is ordinarily not used and when the brace 130 is moved out of vengagement with the shoe 127 the forward end of the a paratus 87 may be swung upwardly to t e inactive position and then the entire ap aratus shifted inwardly toward the car od with the parts so adjusted that the brace 1 0 will enter an opening 132, Figure 11, in the framework 95, and will rest upon a supporting beam 133. This will support the apparatus 87 inthe elevated or inactive position, during the shifting or transporting of the enthus s ifted to the raised and innermost position", it brings the entire apparatus within the limits of standard requirements for car clear-A ance. f Arranged upon the car bod 20, at the rear .of the combined diggin an conveying apparatus 87, is an upstan ing frame work 134 igures 11 and 14, within which is mounted a screen mechanism. 135, of thewibratory type. I preferto use a high speed vibratory screen, having high capacity. The s reening mechanism will not be described in etail as it may be of an well known or preferred type. The

materia is fed into the top of the screening mechanism from a hopper 136, into which discharge flexible chutes 137, from the endless bucket conveyor. .The passage of the material from the hopper 136 to the screen mechanism 135 is controlled by an adjustable doorl 138. The material being treated, namel ballast, consistsof a mixture of broken roc and fine material, 'such as cinders, coke, dirt, et cetera.' The fines ass through the screenn ing element 139 and upon a transverse conveyor 141, of any well known or preferred type). This'conve or is mounted upon the car dy 20 and wi l dischargethe finesat-an desired point remote from the car. body. t is preferred to have the conveyor 141 transversel movable upon the car body, as awhole. henumeral 142 designates a. rearwardly' inclined chute or trough carrying a longitudinallyA adjustable extension 143, whichv when shifted tov the outer or open position will prevent the fines passing to the conveyor 141and will guide them in a rearwardly direction from the same. The oversize from the screen 140 passesto a stationary chute-or trough 144 and discharges is `pivoted its ends Bt, lfm.v

- into and through a chute con 145, which paratus. WhenA the apparatus 87 is ico harge into an imper- @forato trough 140 which discharges the same When the forward end of the chute exten- .sion 145is in the lowered osition, the oversize will dischar e from t echute 145 into*A a ho per l147 suitably suspended from the l? The hopper 147 has discharge'.

car ody. outlets 148 at itsopposite sides and adlscharge .outlet 149 at its forward end, such outlets having suitable closure means. It isthus seen-that the oversize. orcleaned rock or ballast may be returned to the track, either between the rails, or upon the outer sidejof the rails, adjacent tothe ends of the ties.

Arranged beneath the 'screening mecha-` 'nism and extending rearwardly therefrom 1s .an elevating. conveyor 150, Figure 12, of any well known or -preferredtype. This conveyor is driven from a. motor 151 through the medium of suitable`gearing 152. T e

conveyor 15() `is adapted to discharge into achute 153, which in turn will discharge into a car 154. By swinging the'chute extension 145 rearwardly so that its'forward end is Y elevated, as shown in the dotted line position, the oversize will not'pass into the hopper 147 but will be deflected into the conveyor 150. Ina similar manner, by :shifting the chute section 143 u wardlyso that it extends acrossthe .path o travel of the lines from the screen 140, vthese fines will 'not pass to the conveyor 141 butwill be deflected to the conveyor 150. .When the chute section 143 to removethe material from is elevated, as described, aslide 143 in.- the Y trough v140 of the screen mechanism, is

-moved u wardly, providingla 1prassage at its the track. o Mounted `upon the forward car bodysection 23, is a rime mover, in the form of an internal com ustion engine 155, driving a dynamo 156. This dynamo serves .as a source .of current for all of the motors, as described, for driving the several mechanisms embodied on the machine. The dynamo will be connected with these motors by suitable circuits and, of course, suitable switch or switches will be employed. It is thought to be unnecessary to show the c ircuits as they are well known. The machme as a whole may be propelled by .means of a locomotive, or it may be self-propelled andwe contemplate driving `or propelling the machine by motor, receiving current from prommlty FQ 1 een removdfrom beneath thai-,nds .of the .necessary to vsupport the track.

the dynamo 156. Of course, the machine ma' bepropelled byiany suitable means.

he operation ofthe machine is as follows: I t is the present ractice, inthe maintenance of railway beds, to remove the ballast between the tiesand from the .shoulders of the bed,l outwardly of the ends of the ties. This work has heretofore'been generally performed manually. The ballast l thus removed is screened or otherwise cleaned for the puirpose of removing' dirt, cinders or the like an is then returned to place. This. operation .is very tlme-con'sumlng and expensive.

In the operation of our machine, the i `ballast between the ties lyingwithin the line of the rails is first dugout by hand, as at present, and thrown upon the shoulders of the ballast, outside of the ties. The cutting 5 element or plow share 4L is lirstlowered to the desn'edl elevation and engages with the shouldersof the ballast, outwardly of the l ties. As the machine is advanced forwardly slowly, which would ordinarily be from onefourth of a mile to a mile an hour, depending upon workingconditions, the cutting element or plow share 41 will cut a furrow in the ballast shoulder and throw the material outwardly-from theV end of the ties providing a furrow of about six to eight inches in width,

the mold board 45 aiding in this action. Figure 22 illustrates the action of the plow share, a illustratingthefurrow, b illustrating the ballast thrown by hand from between the rails and e illustrating the ballast thrown outwardly in the production of the furrow by the Vplow share 41 and mold board 45.

Following the action of theplow share is the digging element 77l of `the digging mechanism, which' may be loweredv to a suitable elevation whereby it will dig into the ballast under the ends of theties at a depth of six inches or greater, as may be desired. Figure 23 illustrates the next step in the operation of the machine, wherein cshows the ballast 4vpreviously thrown out by the action ofthe low share, d shows the ballast which has ties by the digging element 77, which ballast has been thrown into the furrow made by the plow. The inner4 edge ofthe undisturbed ballast is now represented by the line e and the position of the digging element 77 is so i controlled that it will. not disturb the ballast The `deflecting elements ofthe plow shares 90, of the combined digger andv conveyor, Figure 24, now engage the previously loosened ballast c and d at any depth desired and deect the same inwardly causing the same to be taken -up by the bucket conveyors. It is intended that the machine be capable of operating with a continuous forward movement at the speed required bytheamount of ballast to be handled, as distinguished from any inter- 59 sorted to without departingfrum the spirit are so located that the mass of .the entire machine may be effectively used in holding them in position as it moves forward. Theballast carried. up by the endless bucket conveyors is. now fed into the vibratory screen and the fines removed from the presence of the oversize or cleaned ballast. This cleaned ballast may be discharged in the hopper 47, from which it may pass through the outlet, discharging the same between the ties within the rails or upon the endsof the ties outwardly of the rails. A's explained, the ballast ma be fed into the conveyor 150 and discharge into the car 154.` The fines from the uponthe conveyor 141 and carried to a point outwardly beyond the shoulders of. the ballast, but the mechanismis so arranged as to permit the discharge into thefoll-owing carof the screened ballast or of the dirt l screened out of the ballast, or of the entire material as dug from ,the track, as may be desired.

The combined diggers andi conveyors 87- r Ahave their forward end independently raised -and lowered, which is eiected b operating the motors 106, which drive t e winding mechanisms 105. The apparatus 87 may also be shifted inwardly or outwardly independently of eachother, which is elected by the operation of the motor 121 and the clutch head 115. The raising of the forward end l of the apparatus 8.7 and its inward shifting movement may be effected simultaneously, if desired. Whenthe apparatus 87 are shifted to the innermost position, the brace 130 will enter the o ning or recess 132 and be supsitions within the standard when not in use.

joined claims.

ported by t e beam 133, thereby supporting the same during travel or the like. ,paratus 87 `and all other operative parts of the machine are adapted to be shifted to po- It is to be understood that the form of our size and arrangement of parts, may be reof our invention, or the scope of the sub- Having" thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In apparatusofthecharacter described,

the combination with a railroad car, of appaing such lmaterial laterally from the car 'for' 1 v producing a furrow, and apparatus -mounted .1 uponthe railroad carat the rear of the first ratus for plowing ,and` loosening ballast or other material'adjacent to-and outwardly of the ends of the railroad track ties and throw-` named apparatus for digging out ballast or other material from under the-ends of the ties clearance lines,

and throwing the same laterally from the car 'I I intothe previously formed furrow.

2; In apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a railroad car, of apparatus mounted upon the car for plowing and lloosening ballast or other material outwardly of and adjacent tothe 'ends of the railroad track ties and producing afurrow outwardly of and adjacent to the ends of said ties, apparatus mounted upon the railroad lcfar for diggng out ballast or other material from under t e ends of the ties and throwing the 'same p flowering each apparatus independently of vibratory screen are ordinarily discharged.v r. y

ly of and adjacent to the ends of the railroadA track ties and producing a furrow outwardly of and adjacent 'to the ends of said ties, and A apparatus mounted upon the railroad car for digging out ballast or other material from under the ends of the ties and throwing the same to the side of the track, both of said apparatus being adapted to function during continuous travel of the car throwing the material laterally -from the car.

f4. In apparatus of the character described, -a wheeled support to travel upon and be guided by a railroad track, digging apparatus mounted upon the support to engage with the shoulder c the ballast outwardly of and near the ends of the ties and throwing the material laterally from' the su port for producing a yfurrow therein exten ing downwardly to an elevation beneath the ties, and digging appa-v tus mounted upon the support at the rear of the first namedapparatus and adapted to' uri'ow and to dig under operate within the the ties fora suitable distance inwardly of the ends thereofl and to throw the loosened materialglaterally from the support beyond the endspf the tiesboth apparatus being liU adaptedI tooperate during the continuous l travel `of'thejsupport.

f 5. In-:g'paratus ofthe character described, a wheel' guided byy a railroad track, digging apparatus mounted upon ,the su port to cut away a portion of the shoulder o ballast at a int outwardly of the ends of the ties and t row the material laterally frm the support, digging-apparatus mounted upon/the support and adapted to dig beneath the ends of the ties to points inwardly of such ends and to remove the ballast or other material from beneath the ties and throw the same laterally from the support, the -two apparatus being arranged in a longitudinal group, and apparatus `mounted upon the support to gather up previously dug and loosened ballast and to convey the same to a suitable point.

support to travel upon and beI .6. In apparatus ofthe character described, a support, an idler crank connected therewith, a drivin crank connected with the support, a enera ly horizontally arranged plate pivotal y connected withsaid cranks,"` and a blade carried by the plate and extending forwardly therebeyond andv projecting downwardly below the plate.

7. In apparatus ofthe character described, a support, an idler rock shaft mounted thereon, a driving shaft mounted thereon, cranks carried by. said shafts, a generally horizontal plate pivotally connected with said cranks and having a longitudinal edge, and a -generally horizontal blade attached to the longitudinal edge of the plate and projecting forwardly beyond the plate and.

` downwardly beneath thesame.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a vertically adjustable carriage mounted thereon, a veiticalrock shaft mounted upon the carriage, a vertical driving shaft mounted upon the carriage, horizontal cranks secured to said shafts, a generally horizontallplate pivotally connected with said cranks` and having a longitudinal edge, and a generall horizontal blade mounted upon the longitudinal edge of the plate and projecting forwardly beyond the same.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a railroa car, apparatus carried thereby for digging and loosening up ballast-or other material near the ends ofthe railroad track ties, a conveyor disposed rearwardly of said apparatus and pivotally connected with the car tobe swung in a substantially vertical Y plane, said conveyor having means to gather up the previously loosened ballast or like material, and brace means for taking thev major portion of the end thrust transmitted to the conveyor, said brace means being selfadjusting with respect to the pivotal movement of said conveyor.

10. In apparatus ofthe character described,

a railroad car, apparatus carried thereby' for digging and loosening up ballast or other material'near the ends of lthe railroad track ties, a conveyor disposed rearwardly of said apparatus and pivotally connected with the car to be swung inasubstantially vertical plane, said yconve or having means to gather up the previous y'loosened ballast orlike material, and brace. means for taking the' major portion of theend thrust transmitted to the conveyor, including engaging members having curved faces which are substantially concentric with the pivotal support of the conveyor.

11. In apparatus of the' character described, a railroad car, apparatus carried thereby for digging and loosening up ballast or other material near the ends of the railroad track ties, a conveyor disposed rearwardly of said apparatus and pivotally connected with the car to be swung in a substantially vertical plane, said conve or hav'- ing means to gather up the previouslyl oosened ballast or like material; andf brace means for-taking the major portion of theA end thrust transmitted to the conveyor, including vengagino' mcmbers'having curved. faces which are sulbstantially concentric with the pivotall support of the conveyor, and means to shift one member laterally with relation to the. other member.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a traveling support, a vertically adjustable support mounted upon the traveling support,means to raise and lower the vertically adjustable support, .a substantially vertical driving shaft mounted upon the vertically adjustable support, a substantiallyvertical idler 'rock shaft mounted upon the vertically adjustable support, substantially horizontal cranks secured to said shafts, a plate pivotally. connected with said cranks, und a blade carried by the plate.

v 13. In 'apparatus of .the character described, a traveling support, a verticallI adjust-able support. mounted upon the traveling support, means toraise and lower the e vertically adjustable support, a substantially mounted upon the support and spaced from the driving shaft, cranks carried b said shafts, a rearwardly tapered substantie ly horizontal plate having said cranks pivotally connectedv therewith near its forward and rear ends and a substantially horizontal blade secured to said plate and arranged adjacent to the longitudmal edge thereof remote from said shaft, said blade projecting forwardl beyond said plate.v

15. In apparatus of the character described, a support, va substantially vertical `driving shaft, mounted uponsaid support, a

substantially vertical idler rock lshaft mounted upon said support at the rear of the driving shaft and spaced from. said driving shaft,

a substantially horizontal crankl secured to the driving shaft to rotate therewith, a subfstantially horizontal crank secured tothe idler rock shaft to' turn the same and being longer than the first named'crank, a substantially horizontal longitudinally tapered plate pivotally connected near its forward and rear ends withfsaid cranks, the pivotal connection of the longer crank being nearer 'the longitudinal axis of saidv plate than the pivotal connection of the shorter crank, and a substantially horizontal blade carried b said plate and arranged adjacent to the llongi-Y tudinal edge thereof which is remote from said shafts:

16. In apparatus for removin the ballast adjacent to the ends of railway ties, comprising a wheeled car to travel. upon the-track, apparatus for plowing and loosening ballast or other material ad'acent to and outwardly of the ends of the rai road track ties and prodiicingca furrow, means to vertically adjust said apparatus, and apparatusmounted upon the car for dig ing out ballast or other material from un er the ends of the ties and throwing the saine to the side of the track into the previously 'formed furrow, and separate means to vertically adjust the second named-apparatus independently of the vertical adjustment of the first named apparatus. f

17 .In a paratus for removin ballast adjacent tot e ends of the cross ties of a railroad track, comprising a wheeled car to travel upon the track,a plow device mounted upon the carand engaging the ballast outwardly of and adjacent to the ends of the cross tiesto loosen the ballast and producing a furrow, means to vertically adjust the plow device, a digging device mounted upon the car at the rear of the plow device and einbodying a substantially horizontal di ging element, means to impart lateral and ongitudinal movements in opposite directions to thek digging element "whereby it moves beneath and inwardly of theends of the cross ties and removes the ballast from beneath the same and throws the same into the furrow, and means to vertically adjust the vdi ging element independently of the vertical a justinent of the plow device. c

18 In .apparatus for removing ballast from the ends of cross ties of a railroad, compris- -ing a carto travel upon the track, a plowdevice mounted upon 4the side of the car and adapted to engage with the ballast ofthe 50 same track upon which the car is mounted and to loosen up the ballast and throw the. same outwardly with relation to the car for producing a longitudinal furrow, and a digging device mount-'ed 4upon the same side of the car with the plow device and arranged inwardly of the same, said digging device embodyin a digging element moving in a substantially horizontal plane, and means to impart lon 'tudinal and lateral movements to the digging element tov roject the same beneath and inwardly of t e ends of the cross ties and then outwardly of such ends to throw theballast into'the previously formed furj IOW.

19. In apparatus for removing ballast from Vdigging device mounted upon the car and durin the ends of the cross -ties of a railroad, a

wheeled car to travel upon the track, a plow c device mounted u on one side of the car to engage with the allast ofthe same track upon which the car is mounted, said plow being-adapted to throw the ballast outwardly from said same track for producing a furrow, a digging device mounted upon the same i side of the car with the plow device and embodying a digging element movable in a subst-antially horizontal plane, a rotatable crank connected with the di ging element to shift the same laterally andongitudinally, the arrangement being such that the digging element is .projected inwardly beneath and beyond the ends of the cross tie `and then outwardly with relation to the cross tie to shift the ballast into the previouslyformed furrow` and means to rotate the crank.

20. In apparatus for removing the ballast or the like from the ends of the cross ties of a railroad track, comprising a wheeled, car

to travel upon the track, a plow device mounted upon the side of the car and engaging the ballast of the same track upon which the car is mounted and adapted to throw such ballast outwardly from said same track for producing a furrow, a digging device mounted upon the same side of the car with the plow device f and arranged at the rear of the plow device to work upon the ballast of-said saine track, said digging device embodying .a substan-` tially vertical drivin shaft, a substantially vertical idler rock sha spaced from the driving shaft, a crank rigidly secured to the driving shaft a crank rigidly secured'to the idler rock shaft, and a diggin element pivotally connected with said cran s, the arrangement j i being such that the digging element is shifted laterall f and inwardly. to-.a` ositionv beneath and we l within the ends of t e cross-ties i then outwardly with relationto 'such' ends t'o v shift the ballast into the furrow` 21. In apparatus for removingthe ballastl from the ends of cross ties of railroads com-A previously formed prising a wheeled car to travel upon the track, y

a furrow producindevice carried by the car and engaging the adjacent to' the ends of the cross.ties,.and a digging apparatus mounted upon ,the car and l .130

positioned with respect' to the track for plowallast outwardly of and ing and loosening ballast orvother material adjacent to and outwardl of the ends of the track ties and constructe to throw such material laterally from the car for producing a furrow, apparatus mounted upon the car at the rear of the irst named apparatus and positioned with respect to the track for digi ging out ballast or other material from under the endsof the ties and constructed to throw the same laterally from the car into-the furrow first produced, a conveyor mounted upon the car at the rear ofthe two apparatus, and means toshift the conveyor laterally with respect to said apparatus.

23. In apparatus ,of the character described, awheeled car to travel upon a railway track and having a forward portion and a laterally contracted portion disposed at the rear of the forward portion, digging apparatus mounted upon the forward .portion and positioned for plowing and loosening ballast or other materal adjacent to and outwardly A' of the ends of the ties and constructed to throw such material laterally from the car, digging apparatus mounted upon the forward portion rearwardly of the first named digging apparatus and positioned to dig under andinwardly ofthe ends of the ties and constructed to throw the material outwardly" from the car into the previously formed furrow, and a conve or mounted upon the -contracted portion o the car and shiftable laterally with respect to the car so that it may be drawn inwardly close to the contracted portion.

24. In apparatus of the character described, a car to travel upon a railway track, digging apparatus secured to the car Iand including a plow-share arranged to form a furrow ad]acent to and outwardlyof the ends of the ties, said plow-share being faced to throw the material laterally from the car, digging.' apparatus secured to the car at the rear of the first named digging apparatus and embodying an element arran ed to dig under l I and inwardly of the ends of t e ties and mov-k able laterally from the car to throw the ma-- terial into the previously formed furrow and means to drive said element, the first and second named digging apparatus being adapted tov continuousl operate during the longitudinal travel of e car.

tures.

- i JOHN L. DOBBINS.

PASQUALE URSINO.

In testimony whereof we ax our .signal 

